Muffler



J. W. BEAMER July 5, 1932.

MUFFLER Filed Dec. 29, 1928 all nl Patented July 5; 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFrcE JOSEPH W. BEAMER, 0F CHJICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSGNOR T0 JENNIE J. BEAMER, Ai

TRUSTEE MUFFLEB i Application filed December 29, 1928. Serial No. 329,297.

My invention has for its object a new and improved muffler for application to the exhaust of internal combustion engines. The particular object of the invention is to pro vide a muffler which will completely muflie the exhaust of the engine without producing kback pressure or accumulating soot or carbon and which will not explode.

A further object of the invention is to provide a muffler which positively directs the gases along the outer walls upon entering the expansion chamber, thereby effectively cooling and expanding the gases before reaching the outlet so as to provide a practically noiseless exhaust.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mufiier which prevents the discharge of sparks or flame at the outlet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a muffler which willdiffuse the gases and cause them rapidly to spend their kinetic energy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which The figure is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

It is a wellsknown rinciple that if the gases of an internal com ustion engine be permitted to expand and also be cooled before they escape into the air, the noise of the exhaust will be reduced commensurately as the gases approximate atmospheric pressure and temperature. The detonations of the exhaust are due to the expansion of the gases as they are expelled from a vent or exhaust pipe. The gases derive their force from the quick combustin `and propulsion within the cylinders or working chambers of the engine. On escaping from the engine cylinders into the exhaust pipe, the hot gases set up straight lines of propulsive force along the path of least resistance and should they he permitted to escape directly into the atmosphere, they expand rapidly in all directions producing heavy concussions and detonations. The present invention is designed essentially t0 produce a substantially complete dissipation of the forces in the exhaust gases,

and therefore an elimination of all noise by providing for practically complete expansion andmaterial reduction in temperature within the muffler so that the gases in effect discharge into the atmosphere from the muffler without any appreciable propulsive force and at a greatly reduced temperature.

This is accomplished by means of an unique construction which allows the gases to diffuse and expand, without resistance, and then contract and change their line of direction. This operation is repeated in succeeding chambers, if so desired, so that when the gases reach the atmosphere their kinetic energy is practically spent and their pressure has been reduced to almost atmospheric pressure. Atthe same time the gases have been cooled considerably so that there is little danger of detonations and concussions taking place when they are emitted to the atmosphere.

In the drawing, the embodiment of my invention comprises a number of units A,

'B, and C of substantially the same construction, each comprising a housing 10 having axial openings 11, 12, 13 and 14 constituting inlets and outlets therefor. In the unit A the inlet 11 communicates with a passage 9 by means of a sleeve 8.

`Each housing 10 comprises opposite Walls 15 and 16 spaced by an elongated cylindrical outer wall 17. Wall 15 is conically formed, that is, it gradually increases in diameter until it joins wall 17. Wall 16 is oppositely arranged and is also of conical formation. but decreases in diameter from wall 17.

A conical baffle plate 18, which is substantially fiat in cross-section, is disposed adjacent the wall 15 and is held spaced therefrom by suitable blocks 19. The apex 20 of the ,conical baille plate 18 is pointed toward inlet opening 11, and preferably projects a short distance thereinto. Spacing conical baffle plate 18 from wall 15 provides an annular passage 21 of increasing diameter for the reception of incoming gases entering inlet opening 11. It will be observed that the passage 21 gradually decreases in width slightly at the inner end, so as to assist in bringing the gases into immediate contact with wall 15, and thereby assists in reducing their temperature before entering an expanat or adjacent to wall 17 than in et passage Y 9.v Also, bailie 18 not being rforated it is impossible for the gases to hinder their iiow by an accumulation of soot or carbon.

The present invention provides an annular sleeve 24 extending inwardly from the conical baiile plate 18 and parallel to the outer cylindrical wall 17. Wall 24 serves to direct and maintain the gases vagainst outer cylindrical wall 17 effectively to cool the gases before strikin against the inner surface of the conical wa l 16. This wall 16 also serves very effectively to cool these gases so that when these gases move into enlarged expansion chamber 22, their expansion, if any, will not result in appreciable concussione or detonations.

\ The gases then travel around and into the mouth' 25 of a horizontal cylinder sleeve 26, either to be exhausted or to enter the second unit B, where more than one unit is used, as shown in the drawing, the gases first striking, however, against the inner surface 27 -of the conical baille plate 18 where they are bunched or condensed together to ilow out through sleeve 26.

Providing the inwardly extending annular sleeve 24 positively keeps or maintains the gases against the outer cylindrical wall 17 until they come into contact with the inner surface of wall 16. The cylindrical outlet member 26 forces the gases to turn on themselves to enter the interior thereof by again flowing backwardly into the expansion chamber 22 and from there into the interior of the cup-like receptacle provided by the conical baiiie plate and annular sleeve 24. vThe mouth 25 of outlet member 26 extends within this cup-like receptacle so that, as indicated by the arrows, the gases bunch together and enter the outlet 26.

In cases where absolute silence at the muffler is desired, any number of these units A, B or C may be employed, I find in some cases where exceptional silence is demanded that three or four, or probably more, of these units may be connected together. The construction of units B and C is substantially identical with the construction of unit A, with the exception that sleeve 30 of unit C is somewhat smaller in diameter, because, after passing through a/second unit, the gases have cooled to a point where their temperature closely approaches that of the atmosphere. Alternate cooling and deflection of the gases into the expansion chambers cause the gases to be discharged into atmosphere in a condition where the poisonous vapors are again driven back into thegases.

It is Well known that high temperature liberates the poisonous gases, and consequentamp lyif these gases are cooled before expelled the poisonous matter is a ain driven back thereinto in a condition which is harmless to theV individual.

The construction of housin positely arranged conical end walls4 permlts the itioning of the end wall 16 at an angle o t e travel of the gases in their first expanding and cooling action. This end wall 16, together with the annular flange 24, causes the coolin action to'continue with considerable rapi `ty, because the gases are held in close contact with the outer cooling surfaces. The gases enter the inlet 9 with considerable force and move through annular passa e 21, which causes straight lines of force to set 10 having opup so that these gases should continue traveling in.a straight line. Annular flange 24 functions to maintain these gases in a straight line for the dual purpose of assuring that they will remain in contact with the inner cooling surface of wall 17 and of preventing any undue expansion of these gases until striking against wall 16. In other words, the arrangement of the parts of each housing 10 assures that the gases will be held against the outer cooling surfaces before they are turned back upon themselves into the expansion chamber 22, which action is desirable, due to the fact that the gases will produce less noise in expanding when at a lower temperature.

While the annular passage 21 constitutes in effect an expansion chamber, yet the expanding action of the gases, while traveling therethrough, is relatively slow compared to the expansion which takes place when the gases turn back upon themselves after striking wall 16 and passing into expansion chamber 22. Consequently, the arrangement permits suiiicient cooling of the gases, as above explained, before any considerable expansion takes place. Hence, when the expansion does take place there is not resent the detonations or explosive noises whlchwould otherwise be caused.

While I have illustrated but one form of my invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that other suitable forms and arrangements may be had without de arting from the essence of the invention. Tiie purpose of the invention is to provide a device which provides for gradual expanding and rapid cooling of the gases, and thereafter rapid and constantly increasing expansion and diifusion of the gases without in any way checking or obstructing their flow, and for finally turning back these gases from all sides toward a common center, thereby serving to bring the gases into collision serving to dissipate and neutralize the propulsive force remaining in the .same before they ultimately escape from the muffler.

It has been found that the muiiler herein disclosed increases the operating eiiiciency of the motor, in that it tends quickly to scavenge the burnt gases from the combustion chambers and provide for their rapid discharge through the exhaust.

` It will, therefore, be apparent that these burnt gases travel fast and give little opportunity for their heat to befgiven oli' to the motor cylinder. The motor will be kept cool `ind operate with a cleaner combustion cham- Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain the gist of my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service, without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said to constitute thecessential items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A muilier for internal combustion engines comprising a housing having oppositely arranged conical end Walls, an intermediate cylindrical wall and axial openings at each end, being the inlet and outlet openings j therefor, a conical baille plate-dis osed relatively close to the conical end wa l adjacent c to the inlet opening for providing a passage of increasing diameter, means for continuing the flow of the gases after leaving said passage in a substantially straight line alon-g and in intimate contact with said intermediate cylindrical wall, and an outlet member projecting inwardly from said outlet opening mto said housing and substantially centrally into said conical baille plate for receiving the gases after deflected therein from the opposite conical end wall of said housing.

2. A muilier for internal combustion engines comprising a housing having oppositely arranged converging end walls, an intermediate cylindrical wall and axial openings at each end, being the inlet and outlet openings therefor, a baille plate disposed relatively close to the end wall adjacent to the inlet opening for providing a passage of increasing diameter, an annular flange extending inwardly from said baille plate and parallel to said intermediate cylindrical wall for continuing the flow of the gases after leaving said passage in a relatively straight line and in contact with said cylindrical wall for cooling, the opposite converging end wall adjacent the outlet opening deilecting the gases .backwardly through said housing for expansion, and means for conducting the gases through said outlet opening.

3. muler for internal combustion engines comprising a housing having oppositely arranged conical end walls, an intermediate cylindrical wall and axial openings at veach end, being the inlet and outlet openings therefor, a baille plate having an inwardly extending annular portion so disposed wit .respect to said housing that the cross sectional area of the gas passage increases from the inlet inwardly for a limited distance, then remains fixed for a distance and provides for a straight line of llow for the gases, the end wall adjacent said outlet deilectingthe gases back through said housing for expansion, and means for conducting the gases through said outlet opening.

4. A muiller for internal combustion engines comprising a housing having oppositely arranged conical end walls, an intermediate cylindrical wall, and axial openings at each end, being the inlet and outlet openings therefor, a baille plate disposed relatively close to the end wall adjacent to the inlet opening for providing a passage of increasing diameter, an annular flange extending inwardly from said baille plate and parallel to said intermediate cylindrical wall for continuing the flow of the gases after leaving said passage in a relatively straight line and in contact with said cylindrical wall for cooling, the opposite end wall adjacent the outlet opening gradually contracting the gases and deilecting the same backwardly, through said housing for expansion, and means for conducting the gases through said outlet opening.

5. A muiiler for internal combustion engines comprising a housing having oppositely arranged conical end walls, an intermediate cylindrical wall, and axial openings at each end, being the inlet and outlet therefor, a conical baille plate disposed relatively close to the end Wall adjacent to the inlet opening for providing a passage of increasing diameter, an annular flange extending inwardly from said baille plate and parallel to said intermediate cylindrical wall for continuing the flow of gases after leaving said passage in a relatively straight line and in Contact with said cylindrical wall for cooling, the opposite end wall adjacent the outlet opening gradually compressing the gases and deilecting the same backwardly through said housing for expansion, and means in the outlet opening for changing the flow and exhausting the gases in a passage of smaller diameter.

In Witness whereof, Ivhave hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSEPH W. BEAMER. 

